Football apparatus



June 18, 1929. I KLUM 1.717.693

FCOTBALL APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l June18, 1929. 1 8, mm C 1.717.693

FOOTBALL APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 18-, 1929. B, KLUM 1,717,693

FOOTBALL APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1928 3 Sheqts-Sheet 3 57 J8 f .5 n

I I Z5 Jr J6 52 I v Z Y 4 2.9 74 0 5/ 44 9 7 4/ J7 58 K" '76 as o i z @6 filazlrle t Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STAY Es;

BLAINE 'KLUM; or cairn/inn; cAmronNIA.

FOOTBALL Amen-Arne. I

Application filed May as,

My invention relates to football apparatus and more particularly to a device adapted for training football players in tackling and blocking. p

The tackling dummies at present in, use for this purpose do not fully answer the purpose for which designed becausethey do not simulate the actual conditions existing in a football game. a I

An important object of my invention 18 the provision of a tackling and blocking dummy apparatus which will simulate the approximate conditions met by'a'player in tackling or blocking an opponent during a football game. 7

Another object ofmy inventi n is to provide a device of the abovementioned character which is of "simple construction and operation, is'i'nexpensi've to manufacture, strong and durable c Other objects and advantagesrof my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. i,

In the accompanying dr'awingswhich form a part ofthis specification and wherein like characters of reference denote like'or corresponding parts throughout the same, a Figure 1 is aside elevation of a device embodying my invention H a Figure 2 isa plan view thereof,

Figure 3 isa'sideelevation showing the position after the dummy has been tackled, Figure 4 is an ende'levation of 'mytack ling apparatus, j I I L Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary view,

partly in section, showing the "normalposi pair of inclined bracing beams 12 connect the standards 11 with the base10,and a platform 13 is arranged on the base" between and to either side of the standards, A horia'ontal beam let-connects the standards at their up- 1928. i Serial m 231,2421

per ends and issecurely bolted'thereto' Additionalibracing members 15 7 maybe pro videdto'strengthen the arch formed the 7 standards 11 and the beam 14. i A' mast or pole '16 rests upon a bearing '17 in the center ofthe platform vandextends vertically through the center of thebeain 14,

and asubstantialdistance thereabove; The mast is preferably tapered towards its upper end and isiprovided with a suitable bearingsm'face 18. to engage the" beam '14; @A

horizontally arrangedrod 19 extendstran'sversely through the pole 16 at a point spaced i I from-the platform aboutthe height of a Qmans waist, and the rodis preferably provided withscrew-fthreads to engage threads inthe 'pol e 16. The r0d19- is used'to rotate the pole 16, andwhen not in use may be screwed outwardly until its outer end eX- tends into ansopening 20 in one of the beams 11, and a bolt 'orother securing member may be passed through a transverse opening ,21

to engage a groov'e 22 int-he end ofthe'rod to prevent its removal from the opening20 and hold the mast16 in a stationary position. It will'be understood thatany other meansmany'be utilized to rotate the mast such'as. gearing or power driven means.

-A boom or arm, 23 composed of spaced planks arranged with the mast between them, is secured to the mast a short distance above the beam l liat a point nearer to one endof the arm than to the other. "Suitable Bracing members 25 have their ends arranged between the planks of the arm or 100011123 adjacent theirlends and are conspacing blocks 24am arranged between the i I planks of the arm 23 and are bolted thereto.

'nected at their other ends to theupper end of the mast 16. A transversely,arranged spar 26 is secured at its center ,to the mast immediately above the boom 23, and suitable struts 27 connect the ends of the spar with theend portions of theboom, turnbuckles 28 beingprovide'd for tightening the struts 27. I

. It willbe seen that the struts 27 cooperate with the braces 25 toygive' rigidityto the boon I23. A weight :29 is carried by the short end of the boom andmay be formed of concrete or any suitable material, whose HSQfUlHGSSlS to counter balance theupper easy I rotation.

structure supported by themast to facilitate" Coil springs 30 are secured to the stand- I a ards 11 adjacent their upper-ends are operatively connectedto radial arms 31 on I I themast'below the beam 14 and will be putf under tension when the mast is rotated. \Nhenthe mast is released, the springs-- will tend to return it to its normal posit-1011.

.'lhe'springs also prevent arringi ofthe mast in Stopping.

vided withsatransversely extending mem-.

ber ;33 which projects outwardly from the arm 32 a substantialdistance andisbraced by a member-34 secured tothe arm 33 at a point arranged a substantial distance above theapivotpoint oiithe arm.

.A cable..35,-;is adjustably secured to the arm 32 and-passes through an eye 36 at its upperend'and from theeyeextends over a pulley journ'aled :at 37 in a pulley. block 38 secureditothe end-0f onelot. the braces 25:01 tothe top of the mast 16. The cable fpasses-from1 the pulleyblock .38 to the end of theflong arm ofthe boom whereit passes. overa pulley journaled area be downwardly and at its lower end supports the usual tacklingdummy 40.

- Afcurveddink 41 tormedof'spaced par allel, rods converging; at their .ends, is con; nected at. its outer. end to the outer 'endof the member 33and is arranged with the low er portion of I the arm es between the two rods thereof. The inner'end. of thelink 41 is connected to a 1coilspring-42 arranged between thejplanks of the boom. An adjustprovided with an'interior screw-threaded, metallic portion '46which engages .the screw-' threaded-portion oi the shaft 43. The end of the shaft extends beyond the block/l5. pand into an-upwardly inclined opening 47' 'ing member comprises a screwthreaded. shaft .43 having Tacrank 44 onuits endand isire ""ceived inthegbore. of a removable block-.45

in the-mast which communicates' with the bore of a guide blocki43larranged between theplanksfofthe boom immediately adjacent the mast. 1k flexible cable 49 connects the end ofthe shaft 43 with thespring 42,and thetension of other-spring may beadjusted by v the crank 44.; f A-coil spring 50, smaller'than' the spring I to 42, is arranged between the end of the link .41and .thexlower end of the pivoted arm 32. o A;flexible-cable 51 may be attachedto the lower end'of the arm 32 and connected to 1 some convenientfportionof the frame-for 1 resetting-thearm 32, r I

In operation the mast is turned by means ofthehandle, bar 19 or. any other suitable means and theidummywill move in a wide 3 I arc at the endof the booimsimulating a foot ball player circling the end. The player tackles the dummywhichis in motion, and

invest the tackle is resisted by the spring 42 transmitted through the link 41, the member 33,

arm '32 and cable 35.. v

When the arm 32 passes its center the action--of-the spring will assist the inward motionof the arm, instead of resisting it,

and the dummy will fall in the same man ner thata player falls when thrown off balspring 42, the link 41 may be of spring ma-' terial anchored "at its endand provided with aloop o r-loops. The spring servesto cushion the fall of the arm 32 after; it has passed itsdeadcenten,

Itwill also be obvious that: in place of work, mast and boom of-metal tubing and angle iron, or. any suitable arrangemenhand that in place of the coil springs 30 I may use leaf springs or other resilient means.

WVhile I; have shown :and described. the

00 the construction shown I may utilize a'irametweenthe planks of the boomand extendspreierred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that variouschanges in the size, shape and arrangement of partsmay be 1 1. Football apparatus comprising a dummy, means to .reslst initial falling movement of sa1d dummy,ancl means to accelerate the invention or the scopeot the subjoined' l falling movement of said dummy afterthe I initial resistance. r

2. Football apparatus comprising adumniy, means to resist the lnitialv falling move- 'llO ment of the dummy, and means whereby the resistance to thezialling otsaid dummy is overcome when the dummy has passed its initialfalling distance; l

V 3. Footballapparatus comprising a dummy, means to move said dummy in the arc of a circle, means to resist the initial falling movement of the dummy, and means to ac celerate the falling movement of-the dummy after the initial resistance.

4. Football apparatus comprising amast, aboom' secured to said mast, a dummy sup.-

ported, said boom. in spaced relation to the mast, an arm pivoted to said boom and connected with said dummy whereby falling movement of the dummywill move the arm about its pivot, means to resist'the initial movement ofthe arm, and means to accelerate the movement of the arm after it has passed its dead center. i i

5. Football apparatus comprising a mast, a boom secured to said mast, a dummy supported by said boom in spaced relation to the the dummy will move the arm about its pivot,

resilient means engaging said arm and adapted to resist the 1n1t1al movement of the arm,

and means whereby further movement of the arm will be accelerated by said resilient means. I I a I 7. Football apparatuscomprising a mast, a boom secured to said mast, a dummy supported by said boom in spaced relation to the mast, an arm pivotally secured to said boom, means operatively connecting the arm with said dummy whereby falling movement of the dummy will move the arm about its pivot, resilient means engagingsaid arm and adapt ed to resist theinitial movement of the arm, means whereby further movement of the arm will be accelerated by the resilient means, and means to vary the tension of said resilient means. I i I l 8. Football apparatus comprising a rotatable mast, means engaging said, mast and resisting its rotational movement whereby when themast isreleased it will bereturned to its normal position, a boom rigidly secured to the mast, an arm pivotally secured to said boom, a dummy supported by said boom in spaced relation to the mast, means operatively connecting the dummy with said arm, whereby falling movement of the dummy will move the arm about its pivot, resilient means engaging the arm and adapted to resist the initial movement of the arm, and means whereby further movement of the arm will be accelerated by the resilient means.

9. Football apparatus comprising a mast,

a boom securedthereto, a dummy supported.

by said boom in spacedrelation to the mast, an arm pivoted to the boom and'operatively connected to the dummy whereby falling movement of the-dummy will move the arm about its pivot,,a'lateral extensiononsaid arm adjacent its pivot point, resilient means engaging said lateral extension and resisting resilient means will accelerate the movement of the lateral extension'after it has passed its dead center." I

10. Football apparatus comprising a mast,- a boom secured thereto, a dummy supported by said boom in spaced relation to the mast,

an arm pivoted to the boom and operatively connected to the dummy whereby falling movement of the dummy Will move the arm about its pivot, a lateral extension on said arm adjacent its pivot point, resilient means engaging said lateral extension and resisting its initial movement ineans whereby said resilientmeans will accelerate the movement of the lateral extensionafter ith as passed its dead center, and means to cushion the fall of said arm.

its initial movement, means whereby said 11. Football apparatus comprising a sup- 7 port, an arm pivoted thereto, a dummy suspended from said support and operatively connected with said arm whereby falling movement of the dummy will move the arm about its pivot, means to resist the initial movement of the arm about its pivot, and

means to accelerate the movement of said arm after the initial resistance.

12. Football apparatus comprising a support, an arm'pivotedwthereto, a dummy sus pendedirom said support and operatively connected to'said arm whereby falling move ment of the dummy will move thearm about its pivot, a lateral extension on said arm adjacent its pivot point, resilient means engaging the'lateral extension and resistingits initial movement, and meanswhereby the resilient meanswill accelerate the movement of the lateral extension after it has passed its dead center.

In testimony'whereof I affix my signature. I

BLAINE L'UM, f 

